FREE THE GENIE Testimonials
Free the Genie is a lightly facilitated online brainstorming session that enables anyone with a need, goal, or aspiration to make a quantum leap of thought and action. Bottom line, it's a GPS for the creative process -- a highly engaging way to close the gap between dream and reality. Ideal for committed individuals and small teams.
A Sampling of Testimonials
"Priceless. A way to dream big, edit your dream, and then do!" -- MaryJane Fahey, Founder, Glorious Broads
"Free the Genie is like a fan blowing fog out of a room so you can see clearly. Highly recommended." - Douglas Robinson, Composer/Musician
"A user-friendly way to think creatively, originate bold ideas, and turn theory into action." -- Mohammed Azim, Head of English Department, Al Siraat College
"An exceptional experience. The atmosphere cultivated was one of collaboration, encouragement, and creativity. By the end of the session, not only had we generated innovative ideas, but we also had a clear roadmap for implementation. Mitch's expertise in unlocking creativity and fostering collaboration played a pivotal role in the success of our session." -- Paul Kwiecinski, Managing Partner, Face the Music
"This is precious. It's a treasure. I never would have thought of these ideas if I hadn't had this help -- not in a million years. I'm going to implement these ideas right away. Everyone could benefit from this. Two thumbs up!" -- Annick Baud, Artist
"Free the Genie puts you in touch with your intuition and gut feel. Provides clarity about what you really want and need." - Prentiss Uchida, Serial Entrepreneur and Business Coach
"I emerged from my Free the Genie session refreshed and refocused on the many possible futures that lay ahead for me." - Doug Stuke, Career Changer and Aspiring Author
"I am a very stubborn person. In the past, I have taken many art classes and knew that when I no longer worked full-time, I would try to devote some time to my art. I tried working with other people to get motivated and inspired, but nothing much really happened. When I heard about the creators of Free the Genie and the way they help people get their projects off the ground, I reached out to them. The experience has helped me tap into my own source of inspiration and motivation and to work once again at my art with a renewed sense of yearning to create something unique that will bring me much joy and satisfaction. Simply put, Free the Genie helped me on a very deep level. Highly recommended."-- Tina Lipson, Mixed Media Artist
"The process revealed all the different colors of my project and then, responsively, yet systematically, synthesized them into a singular beam I could focus on to achieve my desired outcome." -- Chris Mac Vittie, Singer/Songwriter
"Free the Genie anchored my idea to the ground and provided me with a pragmatic pathway and plan to follow." - Sitki Esenyel, Student Support Services, Al Siraat College.
"I was so inspired at the end of my hour Free the Genie session that I committed to restarting my memoir writing project -- one that had been in the closet for years." - Gretel Rogers, Travel Agent and Writer
"Lots of fun, interactive, and surprising." - Barbara Drausel, Artist
"As a result of our Free the Genie session, we have gained great clarity and motivation in setting a vision we are passionate about." - Shanaka Jakakody and Areeba Reusch
"Free the Genie helped me see my situation in a new light. I was empowered from within." -- Ellen Goldberg, Therapist, Author, Mystic
"An enriching experience of connection and deep exchanges." -- Rosa Morelli, Acting Coach, Artist
"I so appreciate you taking the time to assist me in clarifying my issues. Your method is a wonderful tool that will help many people achieve their goals." -- Michael Sudheer, Artist/Photographer
"I am so grateful for the generous spirit, astute perceptions, clear vision, and authenticity of my Free the Genie facilitator. Thanks for sharing your gifts with me, and inspiring me to open my own." - Joyce Gerber, Health Practitioner
A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE VALUE OF FREE THE GENIE
"The Free the Genie session I experienced was priceless. That is the word to describe it. Why priceless? Because I have invested a few thousand into the execution of a dream that I have been pursuing for five years. And we have gotten far. But not far enough. My Free the Genie facilitator surpassed the coaches of my past with a simple method -- not an overwhelming method. A way of seeing my dream and seeing the excess of having too many dream plans at once and devising possibilities that can be reached. Dream BIG. EDIT your dream. And then -- do!" -- Maryjane Fahey, Founder, Glorious Broads
"I experienced my first Free the Genie session the week after I was laid off. I entered into the process disoriented and disheartened from my job loss and emerged refreshed and refocused on the many possible futures that lay ahead. The coaching I received and the overall process helped untangle my backward-looking thinking and ignited my passion in opportunities I had not considered as realistic previously. I recommend the process to anyone -- from business professionals to artists -- who really need a reset sparked with hope to transform potential into performance." -- Doug Stuke, Career Changer and Aspiring Author
"Free the Genie is a timely and welcoming tool that provided me with a worthy guide to realize my goals. It proved to be a very real way to reboot my thinking and increase my determination to realize my vision. I have done four Free the Genie sessions, so far, and am now addicted to it. Simply put, it's is a user-friendly way to think creatively, originate bold ideas, and turn theory into action." - Mohammed Azim, Head of English Department, Al Siraat College, Melbourne Australia
"I had two Free the Genie sessions and it gave me clarity of what I really want and need -- right now. It feels right. It feels good. I like it. The process is simple, fun, sometimes confronting, but you are always making the choices of what direction to go from here. No taking notes, no learning new terminology, no memory/retention to pass a test, later. You are getting it as you go. You are feeling it as you go. It puts you in touch with your intuition and your gut feel. The challenge is to really get what you want -- the thing that will take you over the top. Free the Genie! It has taken me out of retirement!" - Prentiss Uchida, Un-retired
"Free the Genie allowed me to grab my vague and formless idea and give it a sense of composure and structure. Prior to the session, my idea was just a cloud in the sky. Free the Genie anchored it to the ground and provided me with a pragmatic pathway and plan to follow." -- Sitki Esenyel, Student Support Services, Al Siraat College, Melbourne, Australia
"Thank you! You have created a creative tool that helps one create. I liken the experience of my Free the Genie session to a prism working in reverse. The process revealed all the different colors of my project and then, responsively, yet systematically, synthesized them into a singular beam I could focus on to achieve my desired outcome. Free the Genie put the ball back in my creative court -- right where it needs to be." -- Chris Mac Vittie, Singer/Songwriter
"Idea Champions provided excellent support to help me create superb ideas for my writing project. I was so inspired at the end of our hour session, that I committed to restarting my memoir writing project -- one that had been in the closet for years." - Gretel Rogers, Travel Agent and Memoir Writer, Miami
"Two weeks ago, I began the Free the Genie process. In my work as a creative advertiser/marketer, I've done lots of brainstorming sessions for clients in my life, but none that had to do with my personal development and trying to pin down what I wanted to do for the next 1-5 years of my life, so this was unique. I can't imagine a more relaxed, yet focused, guide than my Free the Genie facilitator. He took me through some pre-planned drills, but was able to stick with the program even as we veered into some very interesting flights of fancy and dialogue. His good humor made all the difference. He's easy to talk to, and so you find yourself doing exactly that. I don't know if everyone will have the results I've had in a such a short period of time, but even if you get half of the benefit I'm reaping from our sessions, you will be excited. My goal unfolded right before my very eyes and I've wasted no time putting together plans and starting work to achieve it. It was a like a fan blowing fog out of a room so I could see clearly. Highly recommended." - Douglas Robinson, Composer/Musician
"I was quite impressed by what could be done in the one hour of Free the Genie just by you listening to my ideas about what I wanted to do with my art -- without knowing me personally. Your questions were very precise and didn't let me go astray. An important aspect of Free the Genie is that it's lots of fun, interactive, and surprising. After my session, I became a lot more clear about what I wanted to do and have already begun taking the steps to accomplish my goal." -- Barbara Drausal, Artist, Argentina
"Thank you for your tremendous care and gentle guidance with our Free the Geni session. Your facilitation was the perfect balance of engaging, yet allowing personal exploration. We have already gained great clarity and motivation in setting a vision that we are passionate about, and are committed to executing on." - Shanaka Jakakody and Areeba Reusch
"What I got from Free the Genie was my own ideas, elicited from me, and turned back to me, so that they felt both authentically mine, and yet fresh. I saw my situation in a new light. Everything I received came from inside myself. My ideas, niggling at the edge of consciousness, things I knew, but now know in a way that has set me free. I went past an interior hurdle that has been troubling me for over a year. I've taken action because it has lost its power over me. Another way to say this is: I was empowered from within." -- Ellen Goldberg, Therapist, Author, Mystic
"The Free the Genie session was a generous offer of open, focused, and non-judgmental listening. He provided back insights that have widened my perception of the issue, eliciting creative ways to deal with was seemed set in stone. An enriching experience of connection and deep exchanges." -- Rosa Morelli, Acting Coach, Artist
"We all have a powerful flame of life inside us. It takes someone really tuned into their own life-force to not only ignite that spark of creativity in others, but to ignite confidence in it. It is very powerful to be awakened to that force and to tenaciously follow and express it. I am so grateful for the generous spirit, astute perceptions, clear vision, and authenticity of my Free the Genie facilitator. Thanks for sharing your gifts with me, and inspiring me to open my own." - Joyce Gerber, Health Practitioner
7 metaphors to help you understand the value of Free the Genie
More about Free the Genie
The Creator of Free the Genie has consulted with these organizations
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March 22, 2024The World's Best Collection of Awesome, Memorable Quotes
If you're on the prowl for inspiring quotes you can use for work, your book, speech, website, love letter, kidnap letter, slide show, blog post, business proposal, graffiti, or time capsule, look no further. PS: We are all in this together!
Change
Possibility
Beginning
Vision
Communication
Innovation
Intuition
Peace
Time
Risk Taking
Appreciation
Failure
Leadership
Creativity
Einstein
Humor and Play
Purpose/Work
Collaboration
Story
Ideas
Asking the Right Question
Mastery
Uncertainty and Letting Go
Trust
Feedback
Education and Learning
Commitment
Excellence
Planning
Revolution
"The world is an illusion, but you have to act as if it's real." - Krishna
The quote curator
How his company helps people work their magic in the world
Time is passing. Make the most of it!
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March 15, 2024Your Free the Genie Facilitator
Mitch Ditkoff is the creator of Free the Genie and the Co-Founder of three consulting companies dedicated to unlocking and unleashing brilliance in the world -- Idea Champions, SageCatalysts and FaceTheMusic.
Since 1987, he has worked with more than 130 organizations in 11 different countries to help thousands of aspiring innovators discover how to tap into their innate creativity and transform bold possibilities into bottom line results.
In addition to his corporate consulting work, Mitch is also an accomplished storyteller, keynote speaker, poet, and author of seven books.
Twice-voted "Innovation Blogger of the Year," he is widely acknowledged as a master brainstorm facilitator and innovation provocateur.
Father of Jesse (29) and Mimi (26), former husband of artist and peace activist, Evelyne Pouget, Mitch currently resides in Catskill, NY just three blocks from where Mike Tyson trained to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
At 21, he came within three seconds of drowning. At 27, he saw an angel (really!). About an hour ago he had a cappuccino at his favorite cafe.
A long-time student of peace ambassador Prem Rawat, Mitch is grateful, full of life, and understands how to help forward-thinking people open up the floodgates of their creative potential. Bats left, throws left.
What his corporate clients have to say
Free the Genie testimonials
A very funny Keye and Peele video
CONTACT: genie@ideachampions.com
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:28 PM | Comments (0)
March 09, 2024A Unique Offer for Members of "Being a Creator on Planet Earth" and graduates of "The Year of Living Creatively"
If you are a member of Mitch Ditkoff's Being a Creator on Planet Earth Facebook group or a graduate of The Year of Living Creativity and can use a jiggle, jolt or jump start to get your most compelling idea or project off the ground, keep reading.
Mitch and his Idea Champions partners have developed a unique online brainstorming service (Free the Genie) that enables aspiring innovators to not only get out of the lamp, but make significant progress on a passionate project of theirs.
Time required? 60 - 90 minutes.
Our usual fee for a Free the Genie session is $250, but we have decided to offer it to members of "Being a Creator on Planet Earth" and graduates of "The Year of Living Creatively" for jus t$99 -- an offer that is good until March 25.
Why? Because we want to and because we can.
And because time is passing and we want to do everything in our power to help entrepreneurs, artists, writers, musicians, visionaries, mavericks, teachers, peace activists and other "cultural creatives" radically increase their odds of working their magic in the world.
The facilitator of these discounted sessions will be Val Vadeboncoeur, Co-Author of Conducting Genius and a Senior Consultant at Idea Champions since 1990. Our clients.
Intrigued? Simply shoot us an email with "FREE THE GENIE 99" in the subject line and we'll get back to you with next steps.
CONTACT: genie@ideachampions.com
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:46 AM | Comments (0)
March 08, 2024How Creative Improv Can Improve a Brainstorm Session
It can be said that a brainstorm facilitator plays many roles during the course of a session. Conductor, diamond cutter, and traffic cop are three of them.
But the most obvious role is that of actor, and not just any kind of actor, because there really isn't a set script... but an improv actor making theater magic out of a specific "situation" or "set-up."
In both brainstorm facilitation and improvisational theater, you're trying to tap the creative imagination of people in order to create something new. In both, you need to loosen up the habitual thinking and behaviors of the "audience" so they become more than just passive observers, but active participants.
And it is the right use of technique that helps with this transformation.
One of the most powerful techniques is Groundrule #1 of Improv Theater -- Say Yes!
Say Yes! means that you immediately accept, without judgment, whatever is being offered to you by a fellow actor.
In Improv Theater, for example, if someone says "Hey! Look at that enormous pink elephant!" your response should be something along the lines of "Wow, that's the biggest pink elephant I've ever seen. Are those real diamonds on that tutu or just rhinestones?" -- a response that takes the basic premise and expands on it.
Conversely, if you're going to be a good improv partner, your response to your fellow actor's opening premise should not be "That's not a pink elephant! You must be drunk."
The first, receptive response opens up many possibilities. The second, dismissive response abruptly ends the scene or turns it into a tug of war between the two actors -- both of whom now become competitors and opponents instead of allies and co-conspirators.
When it comes to idea generation, experimenting with Improv Groundrule #1 can produce excellent results.
For example, a good brainstorming technique that generates a lot of good ideas quickly is a technique called "Yes, and..."
Here's how it works:
Imagine, if you will, that you are sitting in a circle of 6-8 people. You call on one person to come up with a new idea in response to a challenge or problem. Then, you ask the person sitting next to the first person to build on the initial idea by saying "Yes, and..." Then, you ask a third person to build on the second idea, beginning with "Yes, and..." -- continuing around the circle for as long as the process generates interesting content and ideas.
Even better, start with what you know is already an intriguing idea, perhaps something generated earlier in the brainstorm session, re-state it for the group, and ask someone to build on it using the "Yes, and..." technique.
You can run several rounds of this technique for the same challenge. Each time the technique will take you in a different conceptual direction.
Try it with many different challenges. Change the direction of the order within the group -- clockwise, counterclockwise, random, etc.
"Yes, and..." is fun, simple, and can quickly spark a lot of intriguing, new ideas. It will also sharpen everyone's improvisational acting skills in the process.
FREE THE GENIE: Online brainstorming the easy way
Idea Champions
Illustration: gapingvoid
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